FEUD FOR THOUGHT: WILL AWARDS RETURN?

By OWEN MORITZ

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS|

Feb 22, 1998 | 12:00 AM

A feud between Mayor Giuliani and Grammys chief Michael Greene has lent a sour note to this week's Grammy Awards show, and may have hurt any chance it will return to New York. The mayor wants an apology from Greene for allegedly cursing and threatening a member of his staff. Giuliani then said he would boycott the Grammys and didn't care if it went elsewhere even if it meant a $40 million loss to the city's economy. "If Michael Greene stops abusing people, he will create a much better atmosphere for the Grammys, whether in New York or elsewhere," the mayor told reporters Thursday. "And maybe he will have learned a lesson that will help him the rest of his life.

" But it's still unclear if Hizzoner is upset by Greene's alleged remarks or the fact the Grammys boss trimmed the mayor's role at the Jan. 6 press conference annoucing the nominees. Giuliani apparently thought he would be among those announcing the nominees. No way, said Greene, the mayor was there just to say hello. The differences over the mayor's role led to a dispute between Greene and mayoral aide Margot McGinnis. Greene says he was polite until the aide raised her voice. Greene says the whole thing has been blown out of proportion. He issued a public apology and says he and his organization "love New York more than ever. Reports that New York is not in the running for next year are absolutely not true.